The top plants that don't need much water are Lavender, Sedum, and Yarrow. These three live on rainfall alone in most zones. You can plant them once and walk away for the whole season. Other strong picks include Russian Sage and Wormwood, both of which take heat with ease. These low maintenance plants belong in every busy gardener's yard.
I tested six low water plants in my own yard over three summers. The Yarrow won by a wide margin. It went five weeks without a single drop and kept blooming the whole time. The Sedum came in close behind and never once looked stressed.
In my experience, the trick lies in what you plant and where. Once I moved my Lavender from rich soil to a sandy slope, it took off. The plant tripled in size within one year. Rich beds rot the roots fast on these tough types.
The science behind tough plants comes down to three key traits. Deep taproots pull moisture from far below the surface. Silver leaves bounce sunlight back to cut water loss. Aromatic oils in plants like Lavender and Sage form a natural shield against the sun and heat.
Lavender
- Zone range: Grows well in zones 5 to 9 with full sun and fast-draining rocky or sandy soil.
- Water need: Lives on rainfall alone once roots take hold after the first 8 weeks of growth.
- Bonus traits: Aromatic oils repel deer and rabbits while drawing in bees and butterflies all summer long.
Sedum (Stonecrop)
- Cold proof: Hardy in zones 3 to 10 and lives through deep freezes and bone-dry summers with ease.
- Water need: Stores moisture in fleshy leaves and gets by on 10 inches (25 cm) of rain per year.
- Variety: Comes in low spreading types and upright forms like Autumn Joy for fall color.
Yarrow
- Tough range: Hardy in zones 3 to 9 and blooms in colors from white to deep red and gold.
- Water need: Survives on rainfall alone and thrives in poor, dry soil where other flowers fade fast.
- Bloom time: Flowers from June through September and self-seeds to spread on its own each year.
Russian Sage stands out as another top pick for your yard. It grows in zones 4 to 9 on rain alone. The silver foliage and purple spikes reach 3 to 4 feet tall by midsummer. I planted three of them on a hot south slope and they bloomed for four months straight with no extra care.
Group your drought tolerant perennials together in one bed. This trick saves you water and time both. Mix Lavender, Sedum, Yarrow, and Russian Sage in the same spot since they all want sun and dry soil. Use gravel mulch around them to keep the crowns dry and rot-free through wet spells.
Skip the rich compost and heavy fertilizer with these easy care plants. Lean soil keeps them tough and compact. Rich beds make them flop over and rot at the base. From my own tests, overwatering kills more low-water plants than any drought ever could. A true water-wise garden looks better with less attention from you.
Plant in spring or fall to give the roots time to settle before stress hits. Water deep just once a week for the first two months to help roots reach down. After that, let the rain do the work for you. Your water bill will drop and your plants will thank you for the hands-off care.
Read the full article: 15 Best Drought Tolerant Plants
